Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #2 in South Gloucestershire public Top 9% UK

The Castle School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMs Jessica Lobbett

corporate_fareCASTLE SCHOOL EDUCATION TRUST

location_onBristol, BS35 1HT

language Visit Website phone 1454862100

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Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2016

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Students

1,520

trending_up

Attainment 8

52.4

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GCSE Rank

#2 in South Gloucestershire

#676 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

The Castle School is a Academy converter secondary school in Bristol, serving ages 11-18. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

The Castle School is an academy converter in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of CASTLE SCHOOL EDUCATION TRUST. The school has approximately 1,449 pupils on roll, of whom 15% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 52.4, placing the school #2 in South Gloucestershire and #676 of 3,216 nationally. 58.30% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 28.4% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 22 A-level subjects. 46.1% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 24.5% at A*–A. A-level value added: -0.06 — sixth-form progress was broadly average.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2016. The school's current overall rating is Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 4.4 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

52.4

Grade 5+ E&M

58.30%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)28.4%

Entering EBacc58.70%

EBacc APS4.93

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.33

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

50.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc51.40%

EBacc APS4.64

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.26

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

52.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc56%

EBacc APS4.87

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.47

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

57.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc65%

EBacc APS5.3

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc56%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.1

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc62%

EBacc APS4.41

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.16

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

51.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc65%

EBacc APS4.81

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

99%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)93%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)1%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

99%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)SP%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)91%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)88%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)2%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

-0.06

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

135

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*9.4%

Achieving A*–A24.5%

Achieving A*–B46.1%

VA Banding Average

Retention rate94.8%

A-level subjects offered22

2024

A-Level Value Added

-0.22

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

118

Retention rate93.20%

2023

Avg Grade

B-

Students

154

Retention rate92.90%

2022

Avg Grade

Students

136

Retention rate96.3%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

24 November 2021

Inspection Report

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26 January 2016

Inspection Report

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06 May 2015

Inspection Report

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01 March 2013

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2016-01-26

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2012-06-13

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2009-01-14

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

4.1%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

2.0%(29 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

1pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,449 pupils. During this period, there were 59 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 4.1%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,449	59	4.1%	7.3%	1
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,457	69	4.7%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,475	60	4.1%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,472	82	5.6%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,468	94	6.4%	8.2%	2
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,522	57	3.7%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,520	32	2.1%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,525	34	2.2%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,543	30	1.9%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,538	28	1.8%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,549	29	1.9%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,511	58	3.8%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,511	9	0.6%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,518	52	3.4%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,554	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,554	65	4.2%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,560	83	5.3%	4.2%	2
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,589	78	4.9%	3.1%	1
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,605	98	6.1%	3.8%	5
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,605	100	6.2%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,610	87	5.4%	3.4%	2
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,614	97	6.0%	3.0%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,619	84	5.2%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,650	16	1.0%	3.0%	3
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,654	14	0.8%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,654	20	1.2%	3.1%	1

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 43 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 26 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 25 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 21 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 12 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 12 pupils

Physical Disability 5 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils